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Council Nixes Downtown Security Camera Proposal – Bolger’s $450K Gift Snubbed by 3 vs. 2 Vote

>security camera

Citing conflicting and inconclusive crime statistics provided by Police Chief William M. Corcoran, Village Council members last night flatly rejected a proposal to install closed circuit television surveillance cameras throughout the central business district. Local philanthropist David Bolger had agreed to fund the controversial project.

Opposed: Harlow, Ringler-Shagin, and Wiest. For: Mancuso and Pfund.

show?id=mjvuF8ceKoQ&bids=92500

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Parking Garage Will Cost $6+ Million to Build

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The Fly has just learned that it will cost at least $6 million to construct the proposed 300-space municipal parking garage on North Walnut Street. This estimate excludes related property acquisition costs (add at least another $1.245 million) and site remediation costs (unknown at this time).

The projected costs are based on the currently accepted industry standard construction rate of $20K per parking space. However, since there are already 100+ surface parking spaces on North Walnut Street, construction costs will substantially exceed $20K per parking space when viewed on a “net spaces gained” basis.

Furthermore, an Executive Vice President of one of the most prominent commercial real estate development firms in North Jersey recently advised The Fly that estimated annual carrying charges for such a facility could approach $1 million (includes salaries, utilities, debt service, insurance, etc.).

The Fly continues to question the wisdom of constructing a multi-million dollar parking facility, several blocks from Ridgewood’s train station, on a “Field of Dreams” basis. Are Village Council members absolutely certain that when they build it, people will come?

The Fly thinks that this project has all the potential of becoming “Ridgewood Village Hall, The Sequel.” That is, a fully taxpayer funded money pit.

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Is the former Town Garage property for sale, again?

Village Council members met behind closed doors on Wednesday evening to
discuss possible options for acquiring 120 Franklin Avenue, formerly home of
the Town Garage. Acquisition of this property is key to the planned
construction of a municipal parking garage at the northwest corner of North
Walnut Street and Franklin Avenue.

It is now rumored that Ridgewood 120 LLC, the site’s current owners, have
offered the property for sale to Village officials at a price much higher
than the $1.265 million paid in November of 2006. Scuttlebutt is that
Ridgewood 120 LLC’s asking price is at least $1.865 million, and possibly as
high as $2.265 million. The current owners have made no improvements to the
property since purchasing it from the Agnello family late last year.

Council members must decide whether to: 1) pay the asking price, or 2) enact
the right of eminent domain, or 3) revise parking garage building plans to
eliminate the need for that parcel. Still unanswered is the question: “How
did Village Council members manage to get themselves in such an expensive
jam? In other words, how was a real estate investment group able to acquire
the Town Garage property from right under the Council’s noses?”

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Ridgewood News Purposeful Misrepresentations ?

>Submitted to The Ridgewood News

To the editor:

While it is fair to say that most editors save their opinion for the
editorial pages, clearly some do not. Your article on a recently
filed civil rights lawsuit to stem the purposeful discrimination that
was proliferated against our then 12-year old daughter lacked
credibility. It provided far too many errors, of omission and
commission, which, despite efforts to suppress them, nonetheless rose
to the surface as misrepresented facts collided uncomfortably with
uninformed opinion.

This begs the question: how many times is the editor of the Ridgewood
News allowed to bend the truth without having her credibility broken?
One, five, nine? In the above mentioned article, no less than seven
errors emanated from the first few paragraphs of a hate-filled rant
against our efforts to protect rights to which all are entitled.

Some of these falsehoods even prompted one letter writer to shrill
shamelessly that we should “move” out of town, a town to which I first
moved in 1969. Since when is defending a civil right the source of
such pointed venom? Or are the “rules” just different in Ridgewood?

What concerns me, however, is that the nature and subjectivity of
these errors appear designed to be purposefully mean-spirited. One is
left to wonder at the editor’s true purpose in making them. Take for
instance the following (for clarification, I use italics for what was
stated in the original article):

“…Caitlin Alvaro had asked to play on her brother’s fifth and sixth
grade recreation-league team..”

Our daughter never asked to be on her brother’s team. She asked to be
included in the draft of boys for her grade’s recreation basketball
league, to be drafted for any team like any other player. Though she
completed the evaluation, she was later denied participation and was
removed from the draft by the Biddy organization. After the New
Jersey Division of Civil Rights became involved, Biddy eventually
assigned her to the team on which our son also played, though they
continued to deny her permission to play.

“Despite what her father said was a skillful performance in her
evaluation…”

Caitlin’s father never said such a thing. It was merely noted in the
complaint that she had successfully sunk all five of the required
baskets during that particular evaluation. It is solely the editor’s
opinion that this constituted a “skillful performance.”

“…two sides reached a settlement requiring Ridgewood Biddy
Basketball…”

There was not a settlement, monetary or otherwise, but an agreement by
Biddy to obey the law. This took place between the NJDCR and the
Ridgewood Biddy Inc. The Alvaro’s were neither present nor asked to
participate in this conference. The Ridgewood School district, a
party to the complaint, did not attend, thereby maintaining an active complaint
against them with the NJDCR. Biddy honored this agreement and so is not
a party named in this lawsuit. They allowed Caitlin to play in the
boy’s league the next two years. Her team reached the championship
game the first year, and she was honored by her teammates with the
selection to play on the all-star team this year. Teammates and other
players were always exemplary in their manner towards her.

“…Alvaro is seeking unspecified monetary compensation…pain and
suffering, while watching those games from the bench.”

Having a player sit on the bench is not against the law, nor is it a
reason for seeking compensation. That the editor would make such a
statement is totally ludicrous and misleading.

“…a history of adversarial relations with the school district.”

This characterization by the editor is selectively pejorative. It is
possible to disagree and not be adversarial; only the ignorant to presume
otherwise. District and Village officials have always and continue to
extend the utmost courtesy to our family. We return this treatment
likewise.

“…taking legal action against the board for sponsoring what they
felt was an invasive survey.”

Though later “clarified” by the editor, the purpose of this knowingly
false statement was reprehensible. Seven parents filed complaints
against the school board for the survey and three filed a federal lawsuit. Were
they also “adversarial?” My contribution was to work tirelessly toward
getting a law passed in New Jersey to prevent such an encroachment on
parental rights. The far superior and more appropriate “norms” survey
recently given in the High School was a welcome result of such
efforts.

“…include resistance to renovations at Orchard Elementary School.”

Also knowingly untrue. Our disagreement was not with renovations,
which we welcomed, but with the building of a new addition on top of
the basketball courts which parents had recently provided for our
children with money from their own pockets. What the editor did not
reveal to her readers was that I sat in her office and she looked over
our 200 signatures from parents who signed a petition asking to change
the addition’s location. She knew this was a majority position– two hundred
signatures from a population of fewer than 350 students. Her efforts to
mislead and characterize this as “adversarial” by means of singular
intent are shockingly dishonest.

So, how many times may an editor bend the truth before her
credibility is broken? Only her publisher knows.

Frances Edwards
Ridgewood

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The Town Garage, 120 Franklin Avenue; the eye of the storm . . .

>Town%20Garage
The current hot discussion topic among those who monitor Village Hall happenings is how an out of town firm was able purchase the Town Garage property from right out under the noses of Village Council members. Village ownership of the subject property (see posted photo) is seen as key to the successful construction of a municipal parking garage.

Reportedly, Village officials had offered previous owner Richard Agnello more than the $1.265 million sale price. However, it is being reported that Mr. Agnello refused to sell until the Village found a suitable location nearby for him to relocate his motor vehicle repair facility.

So the fly would like to know: 1) How was the Wells partnership able to buy the property for less than what Village officials had offered Mr. Agnello? 2) Will Mr. Agnello be closing up shop, or has the Wells partnership found a location for him to move his operation to? And, 3) What prompted the Wells partnership to purchase a piece of property destined for involvement in eminent domain proceedings?

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Meet and Greet the Artist Tonight @ C.Magor Gallery 21 Oak Street 5pm -9:30pm

>zoe%20and%20cobby
art.0
Kristine Di Grigoli Paige a Ridgewood resident has been known as primarily a performance artist, having performed publicly since July 25th, 2002. Recently she has put more of her focus and her energies into translating her life’s experiences into art. Her first project was the completion of the “B&W” (Black and White) series and the start of her new square foot series “Eyes”. Her travels, friends, and music all play a significant role in her work, including her life long obsession with mysterious veiled women. She generally works with acrylics, a habit formed by painting in front of live audiences and needing a quick drying time. When studying an image she alters it to borrow its structure, its shadow, and provide her interpretation. The outcome will provide movement of emotions sometimes indescribable but likeable. Currently she is attracted to texture, giving some of her work a three dimensional quality. She often uses bold colors and will challenge tradition in order to express herself. Her work is modern in style but is often more significant by what it makes you feel. A painter by day a Club Photographer by night and once the sun goes down she puts down her brush and pallet and takes up her newest love photography. Frequently on evenings and weekends she can be found in New Jerseys hottest night clubs capturing youthful exuberance on digital images and recording this generations efforts to define itself. “Life of an Artist” Kristine Di Grigoli Paige Solo ExhibitionWorks from 1997-2006 June 22-July 6th, 2006 First Open Reception Thurs. 6/22/06- 5pm till 9pm

Open Reception Thurs. 6/29/06- 5pm till 9pm with a short lecture on Investing in Art by Ridgewood Financial Advisor James Foytlin

Location: C. Magor Gallery 21 Oak Street Ridgewood, New Jersey 07450
(201) 670-0555 Gallery
(201) 362-0552 Kristine
Visit this artist portfolio at www.thesoundandvision.com

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Wreck-O-vation or Renovation?

Ridgewood _Train_station_theridgewoodblog

IMG 1803.0
NJ Transit has announced their intention to make Ridgewood’s train station
fully compliant with provisions of the American Disabilities Act (ADA) by
installing high level, wheelchair accessible platforms. Ramps and/or
elevators will be constructed to facilitate platform access from street
level. The platforms will be approximately 700 feet long, and equipped with
canopies to provide shelter in inclement weather. The canopies will also
house lighting, closed circuit television cameras, and loudspeaker paging
equipment.

At the suggestion of Village Council members, NJ Transit has proposed
constructing the platforms and canopies at a location that would shift train
embarkation and disembarkation to a point beginning at, or beyond, Franklin
Avenue and heading magnetic north. That is, the southernmost end of the
platforms would be located at Franklin Avenue (or north of Franklin Avenue);
their northernmost end would be approximately 700 feet further up the
tracks. Constructing the platforms and canopies at this location would
ensure that the vista between North Broad Street and the Garber/Wilsey
Square areas would not be blocked by the high level platforms and canopies.
In conjunction with completion of the ADA related renovation project, NJ
Transit will shift disembarkation for homeward bound commuters to the train
doors facing Pease Library (instead of those facing North Broad Street).
Commuters will exit onto a high level platform, and then make their way to
staircases or elevators, then through pedestrian underpasses to North Broad
Street. Staircase and underpass access will also be provided to the
existing commuter lot opposite Garber Square.

Is protecting the vista between North Broad Street and Garber/Wilsey Square
important enough that commuters won’t mind such a significant shift in the
point at which they will be getting on and off their trains? Also, will
there be evening delays associated with a trainload of commuters trying to
access a limited number of staircases from the high level platform to
pedestrian underpasses? What do you think?

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Village Council Election

Village Council Election – May 9th There are 2 Council positions up for election at the Village Village Council Election is on May 9, 2006. Polls will be open from 6am to 8pm. The are two seats open and they are for a 4 year term. There are 3 candidates: John L. Papietro “3R’s Responsible Representation Not Rhetoric”; David T. Pfund and Patrick A. Mancuso “Ridgewood First”. For further information contact the Village Clerk at 201/670-5500 ext. 201.

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Breaking News North Jersey Media Outed on the Ridgewood Blog

>the Ridgewood Blog has learned from a poster that someone using the North Jersey Media (ISP) has been posting comments on the Ridgewood Blog …..hummmm

Anonymous has left a new comment on your postReaders Comment on the Ridgewood News Editorial“: There is one or two anonymous posters on this blog who work for the North Jersey Media Group…I find that very interesting…

Anonymous has left a new comment on your postReaders Comment on the Ridgewood News Editorial“: Reverse DNS LookupResults204.91.248.42 resolves to”mail4.northjersey.com”Top Level Domain: “northjersey.com”Johnny, one thing you should know: nothing on the net is confidential…

Its seems that more then “anti goverment grumblers” read the Ridgewood Blog

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The RRC Blog rides to my rescue

>https://www.ridgewoodrepublicanclub.org/weblog/index.php

The Ridgewood News, a smaller, less important rag of the leftist North Jersey Media Group, declared war on the Ridgewood Blog (www.theRidgewoodBlog.blogspot.com) today. Dismissing the proprietor of that website and it’s posters as a bunch of anti government grumblers, the Ridgewood News promoted its own version of a blog. The promotion of their own blog underlines the real reason for the attack. The Ridgewood News is losing circulation to the bloggers and ad dollars are very dependent on circulation numbers. And another problem that is worrisome to the Ridgewood News is the fact that the Ridgewood Blog scooped them on a number of issues. The blog uses the input of the entire community instead of a small set of reporters looking for a story (and usually missing the elephant in the room). Having those types of resources is priceless and the paper knows it.The Ridgewood News editorial writer delighted in the fact that the Ridgewood Blog was banned from the computers of village hall. They pointed out that this did not surprise them as the blog used “anonymous” postings from people. Sadly, the paper missed the point again. Anonymous or not, a lot of people are upset with the way the village is being handled. Dismissing the posters as a bunch of anonymous crack pots misses the real story. Oh and by the way, the editorial in the Ridgewood News was unsigned.So the battle is joined. On the one hand is old media, with an ever shrinking stream of revenue and readers on one side, and new media emerging and engaging the public in a way that the news papers could never do. The real issue here is control of information. The Ridgewood News is no longer the only game in town. And if it keeps this attitude up, it won’t be in town much longer.